I've been riding the Metrolink daily now for several months. It's a great place to people watch. Getting on at the Shrewsbury stop in the morning is a rather regimented commute. People almost have assigned seats. Since Shrewsbury is the final stop on the blue line, the train is always empty, so you almost always get your own seat. By that I mean, no one sitting next to you.

However, the ride home from Clayton to Shrewsbury is really busy having picked up scads of DT workers. So what is the proper male etiquette on public transportation? When you board the train, do you:

snag the first seat available?

hesitate to see if others will occupy the few remaining seats before you?

stand and hold on to the rails, deferring the few remaining seats to others?

offer the seat to the elderly first?

offer the seat to women first? Is that outdated?

I discovered another public transportation etiquette tidbit when we were researching a trip to NYC. Many of the books we read about the subways said, board the subway quickly and make way to the center of the car when crowded. It also says New Yorkers notoriously don't make eye contact with other riders. WTF? If I was paying the crazy bucks to live in NYC, I'd be people watching like a mofo. That's one of the coolest things about NYC, the mix of people.

STL is a stark contrast. People are talking and having conversations on the train. So many riders during the rush hour are regulars and they've come to know each other in many cases. The trains are at times very loud with people talking. I like that. STL is personable, it's citizens are not faceless and socially removed like many bigger cities. I like the vibe.

What are your experiences on STL public transit compared to other cities?